B-G&G Investors, LLCs Apartment Communities Make a Donation of $3000 to Local Schools
$3000 in school supplies was given to Broadmoor Elementary, Melrose Elementary and Capitol Middle School on behalf of the residents living at Dali Place, Degas Manor and Monet Manor Apartments. School supplies included composition tablets, pencils, pens, loose-leaf paper, folders for the students and dry-erase markers and display tablets for the teachers. Councilwoman Martha Jane Tassin, Dr. Margaret Mary Sulenic (Assistant Superintendent of EBRPSS), Zack Gyler (Melrose East Community Association Youth Sports Director), and Hampton Grunewald (Executive Assistant to Mayor-President) joined he presentations.
“We were pleased to donate school supplies for the third year”, Howard Gyler, B-G&G Investors' Managing Partner, said. “We realize that over 70% of the students at all three schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunches and while the schools are improving they are still below the state average in both Math and English Language Arts on LEAP test results.”
B-G&G Investors feel strongly that in order for the students and schools to succeed local business must be active partners and leaders in the community. “What makes us unique apartment owners is that we do not view the concepts of ’profit’ and ’community’ to be exclusive of one another — rather complements”, Gyler said. “We have seen what happens in our community when businesses band together to improve the area — through the Melrose East Community Association activism we now have both the sheriff’s department and police department patrolling our neighborhoods and making it a safer place for the residents, especially the kids to live.
“B-G&G knows that the donations are an investment in Baton Rouge’s future. By us ‘doing the right thing’, purchasing school supplies, we insure the students from our community will have the materials needed to learn and complete their school work! This year B-G&G gave Melrose and Broadmoor Elementary each a donation in the amount of $1000.” Gyler said. “My wife and I were so concerned about the community that we donated $1000 to Capitol Middle School from our personal funds. I just wish there were more businesses and individuals willing to invest their time and monies in our community. Can you imagine what would happen if just 10 businesses followed our direction?”
B-G&G Investors are members of the Melrose East Community Association. In addition to contributions to the school, the partnerships are contributing sponsors to the Melrose East Youth Sports program.
Melrose East has changed dramatically since Jan. 2003 when B-G&G entered the Melrose East market. “I wish we could take total credit for the dramatic changes, but realistically credit also belongs to the new property owners, the residents who are tired of the ‘label’ of ‘Mall City’, Councilwoman Tassin, and institutions like Regions Bank and American Gateway Bank who willing to take a risk on the area and Melrose East Community Association. We are no longer an area of shame... we are reclaiming our community and see our ourselves as a growing, thriving community —- a community of pride!
